Inflatable playing ball



March s, 1935. W, G, CURRY 1,993,090

INFLATABLE PLAYING BALL Filed March 14, 1934 INVENTOR:

Milian? Hurry,

M Mw@ *W 111,6 ATTORNEYS Patented Mar. 5, 1935 @PA-TE orner f- INFLATABLE "PLAYING l BALL v William G. Curry, Springfield,` Mass., assi'g'nor to A. G. Spalding V85 Bros., New York, N. Y., a Y

corporationk of New Jersey ApplicationvMarch 14, 1924, Serial No. 715,459

3 Claims. (Cl. 273-65) The present invention Vrelates to inflatable balls, such as are used in the'game of basket ball and the like, and embodies,=more specifically, lan improved inflatable ballwconstruction having an outer casing and y'an' inflatable bladder which is secured thereto. In particular, the invention relates, speciiically, to the structure by means of which the bladder is secured to the outer casing in order that the valve of the bladder may be juxtaposed with respect to an opening in the casing to facilitate the iniiation or deflation of the ball.

Inflated balls with bladders have long been in use. Not only have structures been designed with an object of securing the bladder to the outer casing but many forms of valves have been designed to adapt the structure more readily to the service required of the ball. The present invention does not purport broadly to embody all means for securing a bladder to an outer casing nor does it purport to cover broadly a valve mechanism for a bladder, but resides in the new and improved devices by means of which the bladder is secured in position Within the cuter casing as described hereinafter.

An object of the invention, accordingly, is to provide an improved device by means of which a bladder may be secured to the outer casing ofv an inflatable ball.

A further object of the invention is to provide a securing device of the above character wherein the bladder may be secured removably to the outer casing, the elements being of such character as tc eliminate, eifectively, dead spots and objectionable imbalancing of the ball.

A further object of the invention is to provide a means for securing an iniiatable bladder to the outer casing of a ball, the securing means being characterized by flexibility and removability, as well as serving to maintain the bladder effectively in a desired position.

Further objects, not specifically enumerated above, will be apparent as the invention is described in greater detail in connection with the accompanying drawing, wherein:

Figure 1 is a segmental View in section, taken through a ball provided with a bladder securing means constructed in accordance with the present invention.

Figure 2 is a plan view of the valve assembly of a bladder constructed in accordance with the present invention and formed with securing straps as shown in Figure 1.

Figure 3 is a view in side elevation showing the assembly of Figure 2.

I Figure 4 is a'plan view of the anchoringv disc which is secured to the inner Wall of the outer casing of the ball, this view showing the mannerin which the securing straps are secured in -position as indicated in dot and dash lines. l

Figure 5 is a view in side elevation showing the device of Figure 4.

With reference to the above drawing, the outer cover or casing of an inflatable ball is shown at and is provided with an aperture 11 through which an inflating tool may be inserted. On the inner wall of the outer casing 10 and coaxial with the aperture 11, a non-metallic, preferably elastic, anchoring or foundation disc 12 is secured, this disc being cemented and/ or sewed or secured in any other suitable fashion to the outer casing. The foundation piece or disc 12, as shown in Fgures 1 and 4, is formed with a slit 13 which registers with the aperture 11 in the outer casing and which is adapted tc register with the valve inlet described hereinafter. By forming the foundation piece with a slit, foreign matter is prevented from Working its Way into the valve and bladder, at the same time permitting an iniiating tool to be inserted and withdrawn with facility. Upon the inner side of the foundation piece 12 are formed bridge pieces or blocks 14 providing apertures 15 which are adapted to receive securing straps formed upon the valve assembly carried by the bladder.

The ball'is provided with a bladder 16 to which a valve assembly 17 is secured in any well known fashion. The valve assembly is formed as a disc having an apertured hub 18 provided with a channel 19 Within which a valve 20 is received. This channel is adapted to register with the slit 13 and aperture 1l in order that an iniating tool may be inserted to inflate and deflate the ball. The hub 18 is formedwith an extension 21 which is adapted to extend above the valve assembly disc 17 and is formed with securing arms 22 which are adapted to lie between the casing 10 and bladder 16, as shown in Figure 1. 'I'hese arms are formed with elastic or non-metallic tabs 23 to afford a gripping surface and shoulders 24 are formed upon opposite sides of each of the arms 22. The sides of the arms between the tabs 23 and shoulders 24 are tapered as shown at 25 to facilitate drawing the arms through the securing yokes 15 on the foundation piece 12. After the securing arms have been pulled through the yokes 14, the shoulders 24 engage the outer sides of the yokes and hold the valve assembly in perfect registry with respect to the casing and aperturell. Insertion of the securing arms through the bridge pieces or blocks 14 may be facilitated by wetting the parts before the shoulders are pulled through.

The preferred form of ball embodying the present invention includes three bridge pieces and three securing arms formed on the valve assembly. This number may, of course, be Varied, if desired, and it is toA be noted that the securing meansy described herein comprises no metal or inflexible parts, thus giving equal liveliness to all points on the surface of the ball. This characteristic is present in addition to the removability of the bladder and valve assembly from the casing and the facility with which the removing and securing operations may be accomplished.

While the invention has been described with specific reference to the accompanying drawing, it is not to be limited, save as dened in the appended claims.

I claim as my invention:

l 1. A playing ball having a cover formed with an aperture, a non-metallic anchoring member secured to the inner Wall of the cover and formed with apertured bridge pieces, a bladder, a valve assembly, and a non-metallic member secured to the bladder and having a hub within which the valve assembly is received and having also arms inserted through the apertures of the bridge pieces.

2. A playing ball having a cover formed with an aperture, a non-metallic anchoring member secured to the inner wall of the cover and formed with apertured bridge pieces, a bladder, a valve assembly, and an elastic member secured to the bladder and having a hub within which the valve assembly is received and having also elastic arms received through the apertures of the bridge pieces.

3. A playing ball having a cover formed with an aperture, a non-metallic anchoring member secured to the inner Wall of the cover and formed with apertured bridge pieces, a bladder, a valve assembly, and a non-metallic member secured to the bladder and having a hub Within which the valve assembly is received and having also arms inserted through the apertures of the bridge pieces and formed With shoulders to resist withdrawal of the arms from the apertures.

WILLIAM G. CURRY. 

